HIGH PERFORMANCE
The numbers are impressive for the high-riding Polestar 3 SUV
Polestar is thinking big with the 3, which has been revealed in final production form. It’s a premium, performance SUV based on an all-new platform: available as a dual-motor AWD model from the start, with a minimum 360kW/840Nm.
Opt for the Polestar 3’s Performance Pack and outputs rise even further, to 380kW/ 910Nm, trimming 0.3sec off the 0-100km/ h time (4.7sec).
Big numbers, but all perfectly in line with Polestar’s brand mission, which is to be an “electric performance” brand. Its first model was the limited-edition Polestar 1 (2019-21), a hybrid GT. In fact, the Polestar 3 evolves some chassis technology from the 1, including an electric Torque Vectoring Dual Clutch rear axle.
Standard on all 3 variants is dual-chamber air suspension that can adjust once every two milliseconds, with the intention of achieving the best balance between sportiness and comfort, says the company.
Polestar is thinking big on range, too: a substantial 111kWh battery provides 610km on a charge (WLTP).
The Polestar 3’s styling shows heavy influence from the company’s Precept luxury sedan concept (which will itself be launched as the Polestar 5 in 2024), with lots of subtle aero: inlets built into the bonnet, and a rear spoiler with a hidden “blade”.
The interior design takes a step further towards the avant garde than the 2 and combines “sustainability credentials [with] premium aesthetics,” says the company. Materials include bio-attributed MicroTech, animal welfare-certified leather and fully traceable wool upholsteries.
The Polestar 3 will even be built in the land of very big things: it’ll be produced not only in China, but also in the United States. That’s a first for the company.
Launch timing for New Zealand and pricing is not yet announced, but expect the Polestar 3 to be a 2023-24 proposition for Kiwi buyers. It’s been launched in Europe at a start price roughly twice that of the Polestar 2 – further evidence of its premium positioning.
NZ distributor Giltrap Group says the 3 is “designed to compete with the likes of the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron”, which would place it in the $140-$150k range.